Love is a Four Letter Word
by Gracie Facie
Summary: A violent war dream of Mustang's will change the way him and Ed see each other forever. RoyXEd *Ch. 7: Ed pays Roy a house call while he's on sick leave.*
1. Ch 1: The Night It All Began

I...I can't help it...I love RoyXEd...it...it's like crack...

* * *

**Love is a Four Letter Word**

He lay on the couch, staring at the ceiling. He was aching where his automail met his flesh, but he didn't notice. His red jacket was slung over the back of the couch carelessly, his black one gracing the coffee table, leaving him in his black undershirt. The rain fell outside, the sound falling upon the deaf ears of the blonde, who was deep in thought. He was thinking. Thinking about what? Thinking about everything. His childhood, his mother, his brother, and that horrible, rainy day in October...How he ruined his brother's life, Winry's life, Granny's...Tears went just as unnoticed as the rain...

This was the only place he could think. Without Al or Winry or anyone nearby to distract him. It was quiet here, especially at this particular time of night. All he had to do was to tell Al he was working, and he was home-free.

* * *

Roy looked down at the Fullmetal pipsqueak curiously. It was after midnight - - why was he here, of all places? He turned on the light, and the blonde opened his eyes.

"Is there a reason you're in my office, Ed?" Roy asked, walking past him to the desk.

"Is there a reason you're calling me by name instead of just 'fullmetal', Colonel?" Ed retorted, not moving from his comfy seat on the couch.

"It's after-hours, I see no need to use formalities." He answered, sitting down at his desk and taking a paper from the top of the stack to begin working on. "If it bothers you, I can continue to do it."

"Whatever." Ed mumbled, arm over his eyes to block out the lights.

Roy ignored him now. What a pain he was sometimes. He was always pulling stupid stunts like this, stunts that pissed Roy off. Ed had a bed. Why wasn't he in it? And where was Al? It wasn't like the pipsqueak to leave his brother behind, no matter what the reason. Roy hated the fact that he couldn't read the kid like he could read others. He looked at the papers in his hands, a page of floating words that he couldn't comprehend. He signed the bottom anyway, and passed it to the pile on the other side of his desk.

"You haven't answered my question," he pointed out as he signed another paper. "What are you doing in my office?"

"Oh, just passing through," Ed said. "I needed a place to think."

"You have your own office down the hall."

"Yeah, but I don't have a couch in there, and the chair isn't even spinny."

The colonel had to fight back a laugh at that comment, caught off guard by the blonde's sudden childishness. Edward was always unpredictable - - sometimes more like a child, and sometimes like an adult. It seemed funny to him. Of course, maybe everything was funny to him tonight.

"What about you, Colonel?" Roy looked up to see Ed peeking out at him from under his automail arm, his honey eyes accusing. "What're you doing in the office past midnight?"

"Can't sleep, came to finish some work." he replied, yawning and pulling a few more papers out of the stack.

It wasn't entirely untrue. He couldn't sleep tonight, and although insomnia wasn't unusual for him, it always got worse this time of year. War memories kept him up all night at this time of year, making him go crazy. Usually the side effects of this particular bout of insomnia were along the lines of old battle wounds aching or unpleasant memories resurfacing. Sometimes it led him to actually hallucinate, which usually got him sent home from work by Hawkeye. But this year, so far, had been so much worse.

This year, he was seeing _them_.

Roy hadn't seen them since he was actually in the war himself - - and it scared him. He hated seeing them, they were horrible, awful things, and would come at him if he closed his eyes. He didn't know how to get rid of them, but he did know that sleeping would only make it worse, because they always felt more real in his dreams.

"...fee." Roy looked up, surprised. Had Ed been talking this whole time?

"i'm sorry, what was that?"

"I said, maybe you shouldn't drink so much coffee. You know, during the day. I saw Falman bring you five cups today."

If only he knew. Roy drank the coffee specifically so that he wouldn't fall asleep at night, just to make sure they wouldn't come.

The spirits of the people he'd killed. They would follow him to the ends of the Earth, until he was dead.

* * *

Ed opened his eyes. It had been quiet in the room since he'd made the coffee comment, and Mustang had gone back to his paperwork, looking like a ghost. When he looked over at the colonel now, he saw that he had fallen asleep at the desk, head down, pen still poised to the paper as if he were still writing.

"Well, so much for not being able to sleep," Ed muttered under his breath. Then he put his head back down on the arm of the couch, making himself comfortable.

Mustang had been really nice about Ed being in his office, which was a little out of character for him. Now that he thought about it, the colonel had been acting strange all week. He didn't eat much, he drank four to five cups of coffee a day, and obviously hadn't been getting enough sleep. What was up with him, anyway? He hadn't even yelled at Ed yesterday when he'd mouthed off to him about a report.

Ed sighed. Whatever it was, it definately wasn't his problem. Still...

He heard a groan come from the colonel, and looked up. The Flame Alchemist's hands were tensing, as if he were enduring an attack of some sort.

"What the..." Ed began, sitting up. Suddenly the Colonel's fist went flying up, than back down and hit the desk, hard.

"Get back!" He shouted, obviously not to Ed, but to something unseen.

"Musta - - "

"No! Go away! All of you!" He pushed himself backfrom the desk, falling backward out of his chair and onto the floor, where he rolled onto his back, shielding his face.

"Mustang!" Ed ran over to him, sitting him up against the wall roughly. "What, what's going on? Tell me!"

""I didn't mean to...I was just..." The Colonel looked up at him, awake but unaware of the tears that were welling up in his eyes.

"Colonel, are you all right?" Ed asked, genuinely concerned. What could've scared him like that? He'd never seen Colonel Mustang so shaken...

"I was...dreaming." Mustang replied, finally taking in his surroundings. He quickly rubbed the tears away from his face and stood up, almost making Ed topple over.

"I don't think 'dreaming' is the right word, Colonel," Ed interjected, standing up as well. "You scared me half to death."

Mustang looked at him, right into his eyes. Ed felt weird - - the colonel had never looked at him like that. In his eyes, Ed could see a mixture of emotions that he'd never seen this man express, a sense of loss, caring, and...Fear.

"Are you alright, Colonel?" Ed asked, trying to mask the concern in his voice with his normal tone of indifference.

"I'm...I'm all..." He brought a hand up to his face, covering his eyes as the tears came again. "I was only...I was only following orders...Goddamn..."

* * *

Okay, so not _too_ strong a RoyXEd vibe there, but DON'T YOU WORRY it'll come soon :3

**Please review! This is not my usual style, so I'd like to know what you think, what you liked, and what I can improve!**


	2. Ch 2: These Strange Feelings

i wrote this whole chapter, and it was super-good, but then when I tried to save it, Fanfiction told me I needed to log in and I lost it all! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH - - runs off to cry somewhere - -

* * *

"I was only...I was only following orders...Goddamn..." Roy said, so quiet that Ed almost didn't hear him. He leaned against his desk, still covering his face and trying not to let Ed see.

_'I was only following orders. It's what they told me to do. I had to.' You're pathetic, Roy. You spend all your days trying to convince yourself that it wasn't your fault you killed all those people. What was the real reason? They were people, like you. They didn't deserve to die..._

"Colonel Mustang?" Roy didn't respond, or even register the boy was talking. He just sat against the desk, trying to get them out of his head. Trying desperately to forget that horrible night...the night he'd killed so many...with so little...

"Hey, snap out of it!" Ed shouted, grabbing the colonel by the collar and shaking him. Roy lowered his hand and looked down at him, seeing the concern in his honey-colored eyes. That's when he realized. This was what he needed. He needed someone to hold him, to make them go away. He wanted someone to care so badly, so much. He didn't even know who it was in front of him, couldn't even recognize him. But it didn't matter. It could be anyone.

All he needed...

* * *

"What's going on? Tell me!" Ed shouted, shaking him again. The colonel was just looking at him, his onyx eyes seemingly void of life. He was unresponsive to Ed's shouts, still locked in whatever nightmare had overcome him. Ed was about to shake him again when something very unexpected happened.

The colonel pulled him into a hug. A bone-crushing hug. A hug that sent them both to the ground, with Mustang leaning against the desk. Ed was shocked and confused, but politely hugged the colonel back anyway. As he slid his arms around the man's muscled shoulders tentatively, he felt him relax considerably, as if all he needed in life was a hug. Come to think of it, he'd never seen him hug anyone, ever. Whenever they left the office Al would always say the colonel looked like he could use a hug, to which Ed would reply by telling him not to be stupid. However, Ed secretly agreed with his brother.

He could see it. Despite the countless dates he went on, not to mention all the friends he had, Roy mustang was a lonely, lonely man.

* * *

He hadn't thought about it too hard. All he'd known was that he'd needed someone to hold him, right that second. He wasn't thinking clearly, his judgement blurred by his emotions. Later, when he was thinking clearer, he would wonder why the pipqueak hadn't just clocked him.

He had grabbed Ed into a hug, and now, here they were. He was hoping, no, _wishing_ that Ed would return the favor, hug him back...and he did, much to Roy's surprise. When Roy felt the two arms snake around his shoulders, one cold metal and the other warm flesh, he relaxed. He welcomed the warmth of Ed's body. He hadn't hugged anyone in so long, it felt good.

They stayed like that a long time.

He didn't want to move, even after he'd calmed down. He figured, scratch that, he _knew_ that Ed was probably uncomfortable. But he still didn't move. Ed was so much smaller than Roy, so easy to wrap your arms around. His golden braid swept acroos the skin on Roy's neck without warning, forcing Roy to suppress a shudder. Ed smelled like...like oil and metal, but there was also a faint scent of some kind of flower that Roy couldn't think of. He smelled good, a soothing smell. Roy could almost...

He stopped himself there.

Roy pushed Ed away from him, not looking him in the eyes or offering any type of explanation.

"You should go home, Fullmetal. It's late," he stated.

"Oh. Uh, right," Ed replied, and got up. Roy watched him from the corner of his eye as he gathered his jackets and left the room. When the door clicked shut, he let out a sigh.

It's not like he was afraid. No, he'd discovered his...sexual perference...a long time ago, and the fact that he was a 'lover of all', as Hughes had daintily put it, didn't bother him at all. He'd figured out he was bi years ago, when he'd first developed feelings for Hughes. In the end, it was unrequited puppy love, but it had blossomed into a beautiful friendship. Hughes had been the only one he'd ever told, and had made him swear on his life not to tell. Which, looking back now, had been a very poor choice of words.

No, he wasn't afraid of that. It was Edward.

Edward Elirc. No way was he diving into _that_ moral depravity. While Ed's gender wasn't a problem, there were other things - - the boy's age, for instance. Roy was easily 14 years his senior, and even though Ed was twenty-two, he could still be seen as a pedophile. Plus, there was the annoying fact that Ed was his subordinate, and he was Ed's commanding officer. Inter-office relations were strictly forbidden. The council would kill him twenty different ways, not to mention kick him out of the military, if he went for Ed. And yet, he couldn't forget the way Ed's arms had felt around his neck, or his smell...

He shook his head. No. He did not like Edward Elric.

But, if that was true, then why was his heart still beating at a rate that could shame a hummingbird?

* * *

Ed closed the door behind him, leaving the colonel inside.

Then he leaned against the door with a sigh. _Stupid colonel, what was that about?_ he thought. His heart was still beating too fast from it all, from the way the colonel had held him, as if his very life had depended on that one hug. He tried to ignore the feeling in his stomach, tried to pretend it wasn't there. He bagan to walk away.

He remembered the look in the colonel's eyes, the pain and sadness and _fear _he'd seen. He'd never seen the colonel like this...it was kind of...

Ed shook his head as he exited the military building, bound for his and Al's apartment a few blocks away. Of all the people in the world to find attractive, even if it was only for second, the colonel was _not_ one of them. Even if he _was_ gay, even if he _did_ like the colonel, there were plenty of things that would stand in their way - - Mustang was his commanding officer, not to mention 14 years older than him, which pretty much guaranteed that he'd never like Ed.

Ed stopped in front of his apartment door, and decided to forget about it. It was a weird coincidence - - in that state, Roy would've hugged anybody within reach.

As he walked inside with that realization, he tried to fight back a sense of sadness, and closed the door on the clear night air.

* * *

That was annoying, having to write it over again. But, I did it! The first time was a little better, I think, but this one's good too!

**_Please review! I need to know what you think!_**


	3. Ch 3: Be Still, My Beating Heart

I'm glad you guys liked that chapter despite the rewrite situation :D

So, here's the next chapter.

* * *

Hawkeye woke up at 5:45.

She left the house at 6:15.

She entered the building at 6:30.

She was always early, always making sure everything was in shape before the colonel and the others got there. So, this morning, she was expecting an empty building, with at least a half an hour of "Riza-time" to herself before people started to show up.

She was not expecting this.

When she walked into the colonel's office to see how much paperwork he had left over, he was there, sitting behind the desk with a pile of finished paperwork to one side, staring off into space. He looked awful, as if he hadn't gotten any sleep last night. She frowned. His insomnia must be getting worse if he was here.

"Good morning, Sir," she finally said, and he looked up at her in surprise.

"Oh, Hawkeye! Is it time for work already?" He stood up and grabbed a little bag off of his desk. "I'm sorry if my appearance startled you, I stayed up last night finishing this paperwork." He gestured to the giant pile of paperwork to his left.

Hawkeye was speechless, so he continued. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go wash up a little before work. Could you perhaps have a coffee ready for me when I get back?"

"Y...Yes, sir," she answered as he walked past her.

"Good." He stopped at the door, and turned to her. "And, if you don't mind, could you call the Fullmetal pipsqueak in? I need to talk to him."

"Yes, Sir," she replied as he walked out of the room towards the bathroom. When he was out of sight, she turned back to the office.

_This is not good_, she thought. _It's got to be really bad if he did all this_...She looked over at the mountain of paperwork, her gut clenching with worry for the man. Then, with a sigh, she went off in the direction of the break room to make the colonel's coffee.

* * *

The doorbell rang a few times, echoing through the apartment. Ed groaned and rolled over, looking at the clock: 7:00 AM.

Great, three hours of sleep. He pulled the covers over his head and tried to go back to sleep.

The doorbell rang again and he groaned again. "Al, can you get the door?" He mumbled.

"Yes, Brother!" Al said cheerfully, and he heard him leave the room. He half-listened as Al opened the door and spoke to whomever was outside. Then he heard Al say: "Brother, it's Lieutenant Havoc!"

Great. Wonderful. Ed kicked off the covers and trudged out of the room to the door. He glared at Havoc, who looked at him in surprise.

"Whaddya want? I'm sleeping."

"Ed, be polite!" his brother squeaked.

"Colonel Mustang would like to see you in his office when you get a chance." Havoc said. "He said he didn't really care when you came, as long as it was before noon."

The colonel was calling him in? But why...Memories from the night before flooded back to him and he felt his face get hot as he blushed. He quickly put his head down to hide his blush from Havoc, and gave Havoc a salute.

"Thanks, we'll be there eventually."

Havoc accepted this as a proper answer and turned to leave. "Alright, see you guys later!"

Al went into the kitchen to make breakfast for his brother, while Ed stood by the front door a while longer, wondering what Mustang could possibly have to say to him.

* * *

Cleanly shaven and coffee-powered, Roy sat at his desk, looking just as normal and cheerful as he ever was. Riza had either taken pity on him or been genuinely impressed that he'd finished all his paperwork, because she hadn't presented him with any more yet. So, he sat in his office, waiting for Ed to come in and going over what he was going to say in his head repeatedly.

He tapped a pencil on the desk rhytmically, humming to himself to keep him awake. Even two cups of coffee weren't enough juice for him this morning.

Finally, around 8:30, he heard the sound he was waiting for: The sound of a suit of armor walking down the hall, accompanied by a short-tempered kid. In 3, 2,1...

_BAM!_ His door flew open right on time, Ed standing behind it with Al.

"Good morning, Colonel Bastard!" He said cheerfully as he walked up to his desk, placing his hands on Roy's desk and leaning towards him. "Whatcha got in store for me today?"

He was so close, his face just half a foot away. They locked eyes, and Roy could feel his heartbeat pick up...

"Nothing." Roy finally said, quickly masking his emotions with his normal smirk. "I just wanted to apologize for my behavior last night. It was uncalled for and innappropriate."

Ed looked surprised, and stepped back, much to Roy's relief. It was hard to be so close to him.

"Oh." The boy said, looking oddly dissappointed. "That's...That's it, then?"

"Yes, you are dismissed," Roy said. "I just wanted you to know that."

He watched curiously as Ed turned around slowly, and walked out, looking surprised that Roy had actually apologized. They closed the door behind them, and for the second time in 24 hours, Roy found himself wanting to chase the pipsqueak down.

* * *

Ed walked out of the colonel's office, confused. Al followed close behind him.

"I think someone finally gave the colonel a hug!" Al said cheerfully, making Ed's hair stand up.

"Wh-what makes you say that?" Ed stuttered, asking a little too forcefully. He quickly realized how he sounded and mentally cursed himself, but thankfully, Al wasn't suspicious.

"I don't know," Al said, shrugging as much as the armor would let him. "He just seemed to...to glow, a little. That's all."

Ed thought back to when he'd been in the office, when he'd been standing right in front of the desk, and had looked the colonel right in the eye...

He'd seen something there. Something that was more than the apology that had been voiced. When they'd been close, just for a second, there'd been a fire in Mustang's eyes, a look that he couldn't mask or hide from. He had looked...

It had been a look of lust.

But it had been gone in an instant. Now, Ed took a deep breath, trying to slow his rapidly beating heart.

It was only for a second. But it had been there.

Ed had seen it, and had reacted to it.

Damn.

* * *

Yay! Chapter three! hmmmm, slow goings...maybe I'll get them together next chapter.

_**Please review! I LIVE OFF OF REVIEWS!**_


	4. Ch 4: Drinking Buddies

_**Okay, sooooo...I dunno what's gonna happen this chapter. Come on, magic typing fingers!**_

* * *

Ed sighed and ran his fingers through his bangs. He was sitting in his own small office, leaning back in the chair. He had reports to write up and a few things to sign, but it wasn't anything close to what Mustang got every day. In fact, he was totally ignoring it.

Al had gone to get lunch for him, and as soon as the door had shut behind him, Ed had stopped doing his paperwork. He was itching to get out into the world, to follow some new leads or...or _something_. Anything to get him out of Central, anything to get him away from the colonel.

After the other night's surprise, coupled with yesterday morning's...predicament...Ed couldn't stop thinking about the colonel. Actually, to be more specific, he couldn't stop thinking about the way the colonel made him _feel_. He was trying to shrug it off by admitting that the colonel was, indeed, a very handsome man. That meant that most anyone that had been in Ed's position would've reacted the same, right? But, how exactly _had_ Ed felt about it?

He thought back to those coal-black eyes, looking at him as if they could see everything, every emotion, every thought, every...bodily reaction...

He felt his face get hot, and automatically knew there was a faint pink blush on his cheeks. No, he hadn't reacted...down there...but his heartbeat had sped up, and his breath had shortened. And that was just from _looking_ at him. Who knew what would happen if...

He shook his head for what seemed like the fiftieth time in the past two days.

"Me liking the colonel," he muttered. "That's a laugh."

But he wasn't laughing. Here was something that threatened what he knew of himself, the only thing he ever knew for sure - - his sexuality. He thought he liked girls, no, he _knew_ he liked them.

He snorted at his own wording - - liked. Everyone _liked_ girls. Girls were definately likeable creatures. No, 'liked' wasn't the word. 'Attractive'. That was the word, 'attractive'. Did he find girls attractive?

Ed blinked, and then laughed at himself. Yes, of course he did, he shouldn't be stupid. His interest in the colonel wasn't romantic, it couldn't be.

No, the colonel was more like a father to him. Yes, a father. The colonel kept him in line, he taught him life lessons in the form of missions.

Yeah, a father.

Satisfied with his conclusion, Ed returned to doing his paperwork, the thoughts of his sexuality pushed to the back of his brain for the time being.

* * *

Roy sat back in his chair, fidgeting.

He couldn't deny it, not anymore. And believe it, he'd been trying all day. Denial, denial, denial. Ever since 8:30 yesterday morning. He'd seen Ed again today, a few hours ago, as he walked past Roy's office to get to his own. Just seeing him walk by sent shivers down his spine, secretly hoping that he'd stop and come into the office. How much he had wanted to touch him again, to feel the cool metal of his automail, to smell the alluring mix of oil and flora...

But he digressed. He couldn't indulge in the thoughts any further, it was unbecoming of a man his rank. Having feelings for a subordinate was one thing, but a male who was fourteen years younger than him? Not a chance in hell.

Although he couldn't say he was surprised. He'd had flutters of feelings for the boy off and on, normally just an unusually high amount of concern or sympathy for him. He had enjoyed teasing the runt for as long as he'd known him, and, looking back now, he could see it was mildly flirtatious.

It was just something about him. He was so young, so full of life, so...vivacious. Ed wanted the world, and everything in it, and Roy admired that. It reminded him of himself, back when he was a hot-headed kid, with dreams of his own. And everyone knew how much the colonel loved himself, right? He smiled wryly at the stab he'd taken at himself.

He sighed. What was he to do? He couldn't possibly go on that date tonight now that he knew. It wouldn't be fair to the girl. He would be thinking about Ed the whole time.

So he decided to cancel, which left him open for the night. He wished Maes were alive, he could vent to him about this...Maes had always been up for listening to Roy, whether he was complaining about girls or about guys. He needed a new confidante, because without one...well, he couldn't bear it.

He mentally went through a list of candidates: Hawkeye was out of the question, that was for sure; Breda was a little too flighty, probably wouldn't take it too well; Armstrong...no, no way; and he didn't really know Falman or fuery all that well. That left Jean Havoc, who had been his friend almost as long as Maes had.

He decided. Tonight, he was taking Jean out drinking. The plan was simple: Drink, tell Jean, then drink and vent until he passed out. Maybe then he could get some sleep without those things coming at him...

* * *

Ed stared blankly at the bar in front of him, nervous. It was his first time in a bar - - they'd never properly celebrated when he'd turned twenty-one, but since Al had recently turned twenty-one, it was like a joint party. Ed felt bad that his brother was still in his armor for this. He'd hoped to have had them all fixed up by now, but with no new leads and no information...it looked like Ed would be drinking for two.

Except that he wouldn't, and he knew it. Drink. His brother wouldn't want him to. Seceretly, Ed was grateful for that. With his recent confusion over his sexuality, Ed drinking could lead to quite a few things he wouldn't be proud of tomorrow. Or maybe he would. He didn't know, and really didn't care to find out that particular way.

Nevertheless, with a final shrug towards his brother, they went into the bar.

It was crowded, more of a club-type bar, with people dancing and music blasting. He would've had trouble getting through the crowds if he didn't have the nine-foot-tall suit of armor next to him, because when Al was there, it was like a parting of the red seas. They cut through the dance floor in no time, managing to snatch a table in the corner before it got taken. Ed sighed, and leaned back in his chair.

"This isn't quite what I'd imagined," he shouted over to Al, who nodded.

"I know, it's a little more...wild." Al replied. he did what looked like a shrug, unable to explain it in words.

But Ed hadn't really been listening to him. Because at that moment, he had seen that black hair and those dark, dark eyes...sitting across the room at the bar.

Mustang was here.

* * *

"So whaddya wanna talk about, Boss?" Havoc said, snuffing out his cigarette as they sat down.

Roy sighed. "We're not in the office, Jean. You can call me Roy."

"Right. So, whaddya wanna talk about, Roy?" He asked again. Before Roy could answer, the bartender sat a drink in front of him, causing both men to stare at it in confusion. "When did you..."

"I didn't," came Roy's reply.

"Compliments of the ladies over there," The bartender said, jerking a thumb in the direction of a group of girls. Jean noticed they were all very pretty, and was thinking about calling dibs on the brunette, but Roy only glanced at them.

"Tell them thanks," he said, and began to drink it. Jean frowned. Normally in a situation like this, Roy would've been over chatting up those girls in a second. Instead, he stayed where he was, chugging the drink as if it were life itself. _Whatever he wants to talk about must be really important_, he thought. _He doesn't normally act this way._

Roy put the empty glass down and ordered another drink, which the bartender immediately started on.

"Okay, now you're starting to freak me out," Jean said, concerned. "Will you just tell me al - - " He stopped when Roy put up his hand.

"Wait," he said, as the bartender put the drink in front of him. He dropped his hand to pick up the glass and immediately chugged that one exactly the way he'd chugged the first. When he was done, he sat it down. Jean expected him to order another, but he didn't. He just sat there for a while.

Jean coughed. No response. He opened his mouth: "Roy - - "

"Okay." Roy said suddenly, turning to him. "I'll tell you."

* * *

Ed had been watching them. Mustang and Havoc, that is. Toward the beginning, he'd noticed their mood had been very serious, and something the colonel had said had made Havoc sputter and spit his drink out. After that, they talked seriously for a little while, but eventually it turned into laughter. He found himself getting a little annoyed at Havoc, upset that he was so close to Mustang...

He tore his eyes away finally and decided he needed to get his mind off of it. He noticed there was a girl looking at him from a few tables over. He smiled at her, and her face lit up.

Ed smirked as an idea dawned upon him. This was perfect, it was just what he needed! He needed to be with a girl for tonight, to dance with her or kiss her or something. He regrettably realized that on the long list of love-related things he hadn't done, kissing was actually one of them. He'd kissed Winry once, when they were five, but that had been a dare from the other schoolboys, and thus didn't count.

But this girl, she was not Winry. She was very cute, with her long black hair and clear green eyes. She was wearing a black tank top and jeans, but managed to make them look like club-wear with her glittery black heels.

Heels that were making their way toward him. He stood up as she approached.

"Hey," he shouted intelligently. He really needed to learn how to talk to girls.

But she giggled and replied: "Hey."

"Do you..."he began, words catching in his throat. Fighting evil preachers? Piece of cake. Hunting down a notorious serial killer? Sure, why not. Talking to girls? Scariest thing he'd ever done.

"Do you want to dance?" She said, beating him to it. He nodded, and she pulled him by the wrist out to the dance floor. He looked back at Al, who gave him a thumbs-up.

Then he dissappeared into the crowd with her, ending up so close to her he could've kissed her just by pursing his lips. The music was blaring, and the floor was crowded, but it didn't seem to faze her. She just started to dance, pulling Ed into her movements, Ed following her lead and hoping to whatever God there was that it would do something for him.

* * *

**_I was gonna have something happen between them this chapter, but it ended up being so long...so, next chapter, maybe?_**

**_Please Review!_**


	5. Ch 5: Out of the Frying Pan

_**I kinda liked where last chapter was heading, so I'm just going to continue with the club, okay? :)**_

**_Oh, and one of you was wondering how exactly roy came out of the closet. Well, I suppose it might have gone something like this:_**

**_Roy: I dunno if I really wanna tell you..._**

**_Jean: Just spit it out already!_**

**_Roy: Okay. I like men. *swivels head around* DAMN that girl has a fine ass!_**

**_(Or something to that effect haha)_**

**_By the way, I might have to kill my computer. Because it did it again. I was finished with half the chapterand hadn't saved yet, when it deleted itself :O_**

* * *

Ed had been dancing forever - - this girl was tireless. Although, he supposed she did look good as she danced. She was close to him, right up next to him, he should be ecstatic...

But his honey-hued eyes would inevitably wander over to Mustang and Havoc, half-hidden by the heavy throng of dancers that were seperating them. He would stare for a minute, and then tear them away and watch the girl next to him, trying to prove to anyone who cared that he, Edward Elric, was definately straight. Trying to prove to himself. Eventually he would give in, and let his eyes wander over to Mustang again. He began to wonder how different it would be if Mustang were the one dancing with him. He could almost smell the scent of gunpowder and ashes that hung around him, could almost feel the colonel's eyes on him...

Wait. They _were_ on him. Pulling himself out of his thoughts, he noticed belatedly that those charcoal eyes were trained on him, and the trademark smirk was playing across the older man's face as he watched him.

How Edward hated that smirk. Breaking eye contact, he pulled the girl closer to him, making her squeal with delight and wrap her arms around his neck. It wasn't like he thought the colonel would care. He danced with her, trying to prove to that smug bastard that he was straight.

When he looked back, those inky eyes were cold, and there was no smirk.

He blinked, and the colonel was gone.

* * *

Roy was having a great time. After the initial shock, Jean had immediately offered his support, saying he could talk to him whenever he needed to. They'd continued to drink, Roy ignoring the signs of the spirits, hoping to get wasted enough not to see them. He'd even gone so far as to say he had someone in mind, but refused to say who, which seemed to annoy Jean.

Roy was just ordering his eighth drink when he saw it - - a flash of gold on the dance floor, the feeling of eyes watching him. He turned to look, and, sure enough, there was the object of his affection, out on the dance floor.

Roy smirked. He watched the blonde as he moved, wishing he could go dance with him and pull him close. But he knew that if he did get as close to Ed as this crowd would make him, there was no telling _what_ he would do. For seven drinks in with another on the way, Roy was thinking with amazing clarity.

Suddenly, he locked eyes with the boy, and watched as Ed's caramel eyes widened. All too soon, Ed broke the connection, and pulled something - - no, some_one_ - - closer to him.

Roy felt his heart drop into his stomach as he watched the girl giggle and get closer to Ed. She was dancing with him, rubbing on him, with her arms around his neck.

When their eyes met next, he was no longer smiling.

Suddenly, he didn't want to be here anymore. He roused the slightly dozing, intoxicated Jean, and walked away, leaving Jean to pay quickly and follow him out.

They walked out of the bar and into the open air, the fire in Roy's eyes not matching the ache he felt in his heart.

* * *

Once he saw them leave, Ed slowed considerably. He didn't want to dance anymore. The girl around his neck had been given her chance, but she had done nothing for the alchemist. He pushed her away, and, ignoring her protests, fought his way away from her and out of the crowd.

Al looked up as his brother breached the fringes of the crowd.

"Oh, hello, Brother!" Al said. "Are you done dancing?"

"I don't wanna be here anymore," the older Elric stated simply. "Let's go."

The younger Elric simply nodded, knowing not to argue with him. They pushed their way out with no problem.

They exited the bar, only to be met with the oh-so-pleasant sounds of nausea.

* * *

Roy was leaning against the wall next to Jean, patting him on the back lightly as the Lieutenant emptied his stomach into the bushes. He was used to this, Havoc getting sick. He, on the other hand, never got sick. His world spun alot and he had poor judgement, much like right now, but he never got sick. He supposed it was good, in a way, but it meant he had a hard time telling when to quit.

"Oh! Hello, Colonel!" He turned his head, seeing a tall suit of armor, whom he quickly identified as Alphonse. "Um, is Lieutenant Havoc...alright?"

Havoc, upon hearing his name, held his head up. "I'm...I'm alri..." He stopped mid-sentence, turned slightly green, and then went back to the bush, continuing where he left off.

"He's drunk," Roy said bluntly. _Like you're one to talk_, he thought to himself. He looked over to Edward, who seemed to blush and turn away quickly, suddenly interested in the flora around him.

"Do...do you guys need help getting home?" Al offered, and his older brother snapped him a look.

Roy chuckled. But then, he heard something extraordinary.

First, there was a little sigh, and then: "I'll take Mustang," Ed said. "You handle the Lieutenant."

* * *

Ed didn't mind the colonel's weight as he leaned on him. In fact, it was comforting in a way, to know that the colonel needed to lean on him. He could bear the weight, it was just...

He was trying to ignore it. The intoxicating smell of him, the way his heart was beating so fast just by being so close. He wanted to drop him and run, or stop and hold him close. He found himself wishing he were somewhere else, that somewhere in particular being Roy's...Well...bedroom. He pushed the thought away in disgust.

"Fullmetal." Ed stopped and looked over at him. "You...passed my house." He pointed up at the building they had just passed, and Ed almost dropped him in shock.

"Y-y-you...you live..." he stammered. "You live HERE?"

"Please don't shout," the colonel groaned, but Ed wasn't listening. He was too busy staring up at the house. It was a large, victorian-style house, with a big bay window, a spacious porch, and, from what Ed could see, a big back yard.

For some reason, he'd expected the colonel to be living in a military apartment, like all the other military personnell he knew. But, here he was, watching the inebriated Mustang totter up to the door and unlock it, going inside. Ed just stood and stared at the house for a minute longer, and then turned to leave.

"Hey, Kid." He turned to see Mustang leaning out the door. "It's late. Stay."

He didn't need to be told twice - - he was just itching to explore the place. Besides, he could tell from the ache in his stumps - - it was going to rain, and hard.

* * *

_**WOOOOO CLIFFHANGER! I'm evil. Anyway, I thought that was a good place to end it, not sure where it's going next...**_

_**Please review :D**_


	6. Ch 6: About Last Night

_**I got the idea for a one-shot today while driving, a RoyXEd, and I thought it was really good. It might show up someday in my 50 shots of FMA story, so keep your eyes peeled :)**_

* * *

The colonel's house looked even bigger on the inside. It was a two-story building, and while the design was simple and it certainly wasn't a mansion, it had an air of dignity around it.

Or at least it _would_, if it weren't so messy.

It was obvious that Mustang didn't have guests often. Jackets were slung carelessly over furniture, not to mention the floor, and Ed could see books everywhere - - books on tables, books on couches, books on the mantel. He didn't see any books on the floor, so he knew Mustang at least had respect for his books. He wandered around a little, checking out the parlor and the main hall.

"Hey, wait," he wondered aloud after a while. "Where's...?"

As if in answer, he heard a shout come from the kitchen area he had passed over, followed by a clatter. He was out of the parlor in a second, dashing into the kitchen.

When he got there, he couldn't see anyone except the colonel, who was crouching on the floor with his back to him.

"Hey, Colonel Bastard, what happened?" He asked, meandering over to him. He stopped about a foot away, and was about to ask again, when he noticed something dripping onto the kitchen floor.

Blood.

In a flash, Ed spun the colonel around, checking his face and body for wounds, his mind racing through a million things that could've happened. Finally, his honey-hued eyes found the source of the blood - - Mustang's left hand. He was clutching it with his right, a weird look on his face as though he were trying not to cry out in pain. The younger boy looked around frantically, and finally saw a kitchen knife on the floor next to him, with some blood on it.

He swore and began looking around for some bandages.

* * *

They were sitting on the couch in the parlor now, having shoved some clothes and blankets off it to make room.

Ed was bandaging the wounded hand slowly, not wanting to let it go. What had possessed Mustang to slice the back of his own hand open like that? Sure, the cut wasn't that deep, and yeah, the man was drunk, but still...

The man in question was leaning back, resting his head on the sofa, eyes closed. A faint smile was gracing his lips as Ed was bandaging his hand, a smile that went unnoticed by the blonde. Ed glanced up at him, making a mental note to scold him in the morning when he wasn't a drunk mess.

It had been a rough time just getting Mustang to cooperate long enough to sit him down and bandage it in the firsat place. He had kept insisting that he was fine, that it was just a papercut. He'd practically had to drag him in here, and then torture him to get him to tell him where the bandages were. Once they'd actually sat down, the colonel had stopped arguing, and had surrendered his hand without any further altercations.

Ed was just finshing with the bandage when he felt Mustang's free hand snake around his neck. He tensed, fighting the blush that was beginning to show. The man lightly grabbed Ed's braid, and pulled, removing the hairtie so that his blonde locks cascaded over his shoulders.

"Wha - - " Ed began.

"You look better with your hair down," the colonel said, running his fingers through the caramel curtain of hair once, and then pulling his hand away.

Ed knew he was blushing now, wishing he hadn't taken his hand away. Then he took comfort in the fact that Mustang probably wouldn't remember any of this in the morning.

"Thanks for fixing my hand," the older man continued, pulling his bandaged hand out of Ed's grip. He was staring at him with a smile on his face, the kind of smile Ed had only ever seen him use on...on _women_.

"Y-you're welcome," Ed stammered. "Next time, t-try not to stab yourself, okay?"

"Will do." The voice was lower now, more...playful. As if he was trying to get Ed riled up.

Ed could feel his breath catch in his throat, and his whole body seemed to be shaking. He shouldn't be reacting so much to this. Th man's right hand had returned to Ed's hair, and Ed loved the way it felt. He bit his lip, trying to block out everything. He tried to think up an excuse for him to go, to leave the room...

"Relax, I don't bite," Mustang said, his hand traveling down Ed's neck, and his flesh arm, sending a shiver down the young man's spine. It finally grasped Ed's hand, and Ed watched as the colonel pushed himself up and leaned closer to him. He smiled and added: "Hard."

_Oh, God_, Ed was thinking. _What is he, he's not gonna... _He squeezed his eyes shut, desperately trying to deny the fact that every bone in his body, including one that was, um, a little more "south", was telling him to give in, to...

The colonel's lips were there, just inches away, and closing the distance slowly, slowly advancing...

When they kissed, Ed thought he would literally melt: he relaxed immediately, the logical side of his brain completely knocked out of him, along with the air in his lungs. The room was a blur, nothing was clear except how his body was reacting to Mustang's. He found his hands latching onto the front of the older man's dress shirt, and he was kissing back.

He knew that the colonel was very drunk. He knew that the man probably thought he was a girl, what with his long blonde hair that was now tumbling around his shoulders. It didn't matter to him. He wanted to kiss him, and knew that, for this older man's sake, he wouldn't let it go any farther than that.

Once again, he took solace in the fact that Mustang wouldn't remember a thing in the morning.

Because tonight, and tonight only, Roy Mustang was his.

* * *

Roy opened his eyes, only to be greeted with too-bright lights, suddenly becoming aware of any noises in the house, which were immediately magnified by the massive headache he was enduring.

He sat up, and immediately regretted it. The sharp pain in his forehead was now almost too much to bear, and he cried out in agony.

"Drink this, it'll make you feel better." He looked over and saw Edward sitting in the chair next to him, holding out a glass of water to him with a slightly bored expression on his face.

Roy's face twisted into a look of confusion - - He didn't remember Edward being here. He thought back to the night before, but found that after about the fifth drink, he couldn't remember anything. Well, at least he knew that "Amestris's Strongest Ale" was, indeed, the strongest.

"Take it, my arm's getting tired." The blonde said impatiently, bringing Roy back to Earth. Roy took the glass gratefully, and sipped it slowly.

"You really shouldn't drink so much," the boy scolded. "If Al and I hadn't found you and Havoc outside the bar, who knows what would've happened to you two? Not to mention what would've happened if I hadn't stayed to keep an eye on _you_."

_What did he mean? _Roy wondered, lifting the glass back up to his face for a second sip. That's when he saw the bandage on his left hand. It was a little bloody, but from what he could see it was well-bandaged. Ed noticed him staring at the bandage, and let out a small laugh.

"What happened..." Roy let the question trail off, knowing that Ed would get the meaning.

"You sliced your own hand open with a kitchen knife," Ed explained, sipping some of his own water. "It was bleeding like hell, but it's not too deep. Give it a few days."

He turned to look at Ed again, who seemed to be deliberately avoiding his gaze. At first he thought he was just being a prick, but then a frightening realization settled on him, and he was sure he turned visibly green.

What if he'd made a move on Ed last night? It didn't have to be anything bad, but if Ed thought he was being hit on by his commanding officer, there was absolutely no way he would ever be able to look him in the eye again!

"Um...F-full..." he began, hesitant.

"What's the problem, Colonel Bastard? You look a little green." Ed teased, raising an eyebrow. He was joking with him like usual. A good sign, right?

"I, um...I tend to be a...a drunk kisser sometimes..." he began again. If there was any recognition in the boy's face, he didn't see it. "I didn't, um..."

Ed laughed, short and loud. "Yeah, like I'd let you do that," he said, seemingly amused. "Think, Colonel."

"R...right, you're right, how stupid of me." Roy smiled, and then stood up, putting on a formal air again: "Well, it seems I'm going to be late, so, if you'll excuse me, I must go get ready for work. Thanks for taking care of me last night, Fullmetal."

"Yeah, yeah, you owe me."

He turned and left the room, heading towards the stairs.

He didn't see the smirk fade from the blonde. He didn't see the way Ed sighed after he left.

And he didn't see the sadness in his eyes as he got up to leave, thinking about last night...

* * *

_**Yay! Chapter done! THEY FINALLY KISSED WOOOOOOO!**_

_**Although, it seems like they still won't know their feelings for quite a while. Sorry!**_

_**Thanks so much for reading! Please review!**_


	7. Ch 7: Through the Fire and Flames

_**YOU again? Why are YOU here?**_

**_By which I, of course, mean "Why are you HERE when you could be off reading NotSoNew Beginnings by Kiaros?_**

**_You think my story's great? Hers is better. Look it up! Off with you!_**

**_But y'all come back now, y'hear? ;)_**

* * *

Al looked at his brother curiously from the doorway. Ed had been so spacey lately, always staring out the window and such. Al had even caught him _blushing_ a few times. It had been happening ever since that night at the bar last week. Maybe he was thinking about that girl? Al shook his helmet. He didn't know what his brother was thinking, he never did. Besides, he had a feeling that Ed's mind was a very scary place.

Currently, the older Elric was staring at the wall while chewing on a pen, the tell-tale pink blush dusting his cheeks as his lips curved into a slight smile. Al watched him for a moment, standing in the doorway with the tray of food he'd brought for him.

Finally, he figured he should interrupt.

* * *

"Ahem," Al coughed politely, causing Ed to jump a little and drop his pen.

"Oh, Al, I didn't see you there," he said nervously. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Al said, placing the tray of food in front of him on the desk. "You need to eat - - you haven't been getting enough food lately."

The older boy shrugged it off and picked up a roll, nibbling on it to make Al happy. He wasn't really in the mood for food, he never could eat knowing he was just doors down from Mustang.

That's all he thought about lately. Mustang. He found himself spacing out alot, thinking about the wall the colonel had kissed him, the way his coal black eyes had stared at him...

The way he'd looked so dissappointed when Ed had stopped him from going any further than kissing.

The man had been drunk - - Ed couldn't take advantage of that, no matter how much he'd wanted to. And he'd definately wanted to. But he supposed it was hormones, because he knew for a fact that, having just recently discovered his sexuality, he wasn't even _ready_ to go farther. But kissing...he smirked a little. Yeah, kissing was definately good.

He was just lucky the colonel hadn't remembered anything in the morning. Ed didn't know what he would've done if he had. He'd be really embarassed, that's for sure, and wouldn't have been able to show his face around the office ever again.

But that was last week. It was over, and despite the fact that he snuck out to the bars every night in the hopes of catching the object of his affections as a tottering drunk, he was sure it was never going to happen again.

Maybe it was time for him to move on?

* * *

Roy stared at the paper in front of him, pretending to be thinking about work when really he was thinking about Ed. As was normal these days. How could he not?

Ever since the night at the bar, the runt had been acting unusual. Not too unusual, though. In fact, he himself hadn't noticed anything, but he had run into Al today in the cafeteria and heard a few things from him.

"Yeah, ever since that night," Al had said. "He's been acting really strange and spacey. Sometimes I even catch him blushing! And he sneaks out most nights for some odd reason. I think he's been seeing that girl he met that night or something, because he always looks so happy when he's leaving."

Roy shook his head, trying to get the thought out. He didn't want to think of the pipsqueak with someone else. Or maybe he did, because then he could move on instead of asking "What if?" Nevertheless, the feeling he got when he thought about Ed with a girl was not pleasant.

He couldn't help it - - his craving for the younger man was...insatiable. He wanted Ed to want him, but knew that it was very unlikely and also quite close to illegal, not to mention immoral. Of course, Fullmetal had done some things in the past that were _both_ illegal and immoral...

Roy sat up and sighed, pulling his thoughts away from his favorite subject and focussing on his least favorite - - paperwork. He hated this time of year: not only did he have nightmares, ghost visits, and insomnia, but he also had to deal with an influx of transfer paperwork due to the military's yearly recruitment. Yearly recruitment meant a whole new batch of soldiers for the military police force as well as the army itself. Not only that, but it was also when this year's new State Alchemist was chosen, which was always cause for more paper to be pushed up in the ranks.

Thus, paperwork for Roy.

He worked for a little while, fighting against his fluttering lids and his incessant yawning. He couldn't fall asleep, or else...He yawned again, and with one last feeble attempt to stem his exhaustion, his eyes closed.

By the time his head hit the desk with a quiet '_thump'_, he was out cold.

* * *

The world was spinning in front of him, swirling and twirling. But it wasn't the world he was familiar with - - this land was much larger and sandier than his. In fact, the sand seemed to stretch for miles, and all he could see one way was the tan substance.

The other way, he saw soldiers.

Tired soldiers, wounded soldiers, dirty, scraggly, hopeless, faithless soldiers.

And Hughes. He saw Maes Hughes. He frowned - - he didn't remember Maes being in his squadron. He shrugged it off when the bespectacled man smiled. It was a beacon of hope for him, that smile.

He turned his eyes back to the sandy expanse - - Ishbal. It was truly majestic, and he could feel his fists clenching. Why were they doing this? Why were they destroying this beautiful, untouched desert? Why were they hurting the innocent people? He shoved the thought away, replacing them with thoughts of his orders. Yes, his orders. He wasn't going to question them. He shielded his eyes against the harsh desert sun as he watched the horizon, unsurprised to see a line of people emerging from it.

Refugees. Refugees from Ishbal.

Before he knew it, he and the rest of the able soldiers were off, running despite the sweltering heat towards the people. He could see their forms clearer now. five men, three women, four children. He saw a woman with a baby, a baby that was crying as the soldiers - - no, it was just him now. Just him running toward them. He saw his hand go up, stared at the array on his glove.

_Don't do it._

He couldn't stop himself. The fingers brought themselves together, rubbing and..._**snapping**_.

The flames burst forth, and there the people were, the fire devouring them like a hungry dragon. He looked in the woman's eyes, the one with the child. He heard her cry out: "Why? Why? We aren't the army! WHY?" The baby wailed on and on as the woman stared him down. The red eyes quickly changed color, and suddenly...

Maes was standing in the flames instead, smiling up at him.

"Why couldn't you save me...Colonel?" Maes asked politely, just as if he were asking for a favor, or asking him to tell him about his day.

And there was blood, so much blood, coming from the bullet wound. Roy hadn't even realized he'd been holding a gun. That he'd shot Maes.

"Colonel." Maes Hughes said, with his smile. "Colonel, Colonel, Colonel..."

"Colonel!" The voice wasn't Maes, Maes always called him Roy, never Colonel...it was..."Colonel, wake up!"

Roy's eyes snapped open, and the first thing he saw was a very worried-looking Riza Hawkeye.

* * *

**_AHAHAHA Cliffhanger! Well, sort-of. I guess. Not much of one. But, oh well!_**

**_Please review, I'll give you a cookie! (All-cookies-are-a-product-of-your-own-imagination. Gracie-Facie-cannot-be-held-responsible-for-lost-and/or-stolen-imaginary-cookies.)_**


	8. Ch 8: Sick Leave

_**I really have nothing to say here, except that I've been watching alot of Avatar: The Last Airbender lately.**_

**_..._**

**_Don't judge me._**

* * *

He was sweating and panting, his hands twitching as his eyes darted around nervously. Where was he? Where was the desert? And Hughes? He didn't feel the tears on his face. Oh, God, Hughes. He could've done something to save Hughes. Something...

"Something..." He said, his voice cracking as he strained to speak. He blinked, the colors in front of him mixing and seperating, mixing and seperating...He was coming back to the world now...

He was on the floor in his office, with a concerned Hawkeye kneeling beside him with her hand on his forehead, her gun abandoned a few feet away.

"What was that, Sir?" She asked, pulling her hand from his forehead to take him by the chin and look into his eyes. _Checking for dialated pupils_, Roy thought involuntarily.

"Nothing, it was nothing..." He pushed her hand away. "Just a...a bad dre - - "

A sharp pain in his gut caused him to sputter and roll over, curling up. It was coming from his scar, the one on his abdomen that he'd acquired during the war when he'd created a blast so big he'd hurt himself with the debris.

He smirked bitterly. You play with fire, you get burned. It was what he deserved, wasn't it?

"Colonel...!"

"I'm fine, just...memories." Roy said, and Hawkeye fell silent. He knew she had seen him like this before. It was every year at this time that she'd find him on the ground like this. It was almost a scheduled sick leave. He looked over at her, expecting to see her relax and tell him to get back to work and take tomorrow off.

Instead, her hazel eyes were fierce, grinding into him like a drill.

"Go home, Colonel." She said, much to his surprise. "Obviously it isn't like the other times - - you need rest."

"But the paperwork..."

"You think you're the only pair of hands in this building? Please, Black Hayate could do your job."

"I...I resent that."

"I'll have Lieutenant Havoc take you home, and I'll send someone later to check on you."

"Okay." Roy was past argument. His mind was fuzzy, and he could swear he could still see Hughes smiling at him from behind Hawkeye. He could feel himself being lifted, and from the grunt he suspected he was being carried out by Jean. He heard the man mumble something, but hadn't the mental capacity to decode it.

He sighed and let himself be taken.

* * *

"What do you mean, he went home?" Ed asked, dumbfounded.

He was standing in the outer office, talking to Hawkeye. In his hand he held a report that he'd been hoping to get to Mustang today - - after all, he hadn't seen the man all day.

Now, Hawkeye eyed him warily over the stack of paperwork that normally would be sitting on Mustang's desk. "I mean, he went home. You missed quite the spectacle - - we found him passed out on the floor of his office, screaming something unintelligable and drenched in sweat. Needless to say, he's taking a few days of forced vacation."

Ed let his hands drop to his sides as he stared at the First Lieutenant, who stared back with a twinkle of interest in her eye. He must've been really bad if _she_ was having to force _him_ to go home...

"Well, what am I supposed to do now? This report's due today..." Okay, that was a lie. He just wanted to see Mustang...

Hawkeye raised a blonde eyebrow. "Well, you could wait until he comes back." He really didn't want to do that. "Or..." She trailed off, as if in thought.

"Or?" Ed prodded. She turned to him, with a smirk that was eerily similar to the colonel's.

"Or, you could check up on him tonight, and give it to him then."

* * *

Roy sat on the couch with a book in his hand, not really reading it. He couldn't have if he had tried, because his brain had essentially shut itself down, saying _'I do not need any more stress today, thank you'._ All he could really do was revisit memories or ponder. His brain was in no mood for learning, and that included reading. He kept thinking back to when he'd woken up in the office, with Hawkeye hovering over him. For a split second, his brain had seen what it had wanted to see - - Edward Elric.

It was an understandable mistake for his brain to make, seeing as he had been very, very close to incapacitated and both subjects were blonde. But, come to think of it, he questioned even that reasoning - - Hawkeye may be a very pretty woman, but in Roy's eyes, she didn't hold a candle to Edward's youthful radiance.

His stomach growled at him, and he realised slowly that he hadn't eaten since lunchtime. He supposed that was another explanation for his slow thought process. He knew he should get up and make himself something, but his feet didn't want to move. Besides, he had his coffee, what else did he need?

He looked at the clock: 8:15. It was well after hours, why hadn't Hawkeye sent someone to check up on him? For all she knew, he could be glued to the couch and starving. Which he was.

As if in answer to his internal question, he heard a key in the lock. He mentally ran through a list of people who would have a key to his house, which was pretty much limited to Hawkeye, Jean, and Gracia. He hoped it was Gracia. She was a fantastic cook...

He heard the door swing open and some walked in. He frowned. Those footsteps were much heavier than Gracia's, Hawkeye's, or even Jean's. Who was here?

He stared at the entryway to the room, and, after a while, was rewarded with a little blonde head bobbing in. The pipsqueak grinned and held up a bag of takeout.

"You look hungry." He teased, but before Roy could answer, his stomach answered for him with a loud growling noise. He felt his face get hot and turned away, mumbling 'no' under his breath.

Why was the Fullmetal brat here? How could Riza have sent _him_, of all people, to check up on him? In such a contained space, he wasn't sure if he could keep his hands off the boy.

Boy. He kept thinking of him as a boy, but as he watched him remove his coats and begin distributing the food, he knew Ed was anything but. His face still looked babyish, and his temper could use work, but every inch of that sinfully muscular body screamed that he was a man. Roy couldn't take his eyes off the alchemist before him - - the way his silky blonde hair fell lightly into his face, the way his automail met his skin, the way the small muscle-shirt he always wore rippled as he moved. It was all so...hypnotizing. As if it were a whole different world, and it was only the two of them.

"Are you really so hungry that you're drooling?" Ed snorted, causing Roy to jump a little, and rub the afore-mentioned drool from his face quickly. "Because if you are, then you have serious health issues."

Roy said nothing, and Ed went back to the food, which was now all sorted out onto two plates. So, he planned on staying. He smiled a little at the thought. He may not be able to make a move on the boy, but he could spend the whole time watching him if he wanted to...

* * *

**_Woot! I think that was a decent chapter, yes? Not my best work, but hey. And no, I don't know if they'll get together next chapter, you've got to be patient. Very, very patient._**

**_Please review! I am a review whore! Please review!_**


End file.
